


Life Makes Ghosts of Us All

by RedHairedGoddess1



Series: Supernatural Tumblr Prompts [3]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Feels, Tumblr Prompt, apple trees, so many feels
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-28
Updated: 2016-02-28
Packaged: 2018-05-23 15:50:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,864
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6121556
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RedHairedGoddess1/pseuds/RedHairedGoddess1
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Prompt: Imagine Dean has died for the last time and Sam goes to his grave everyday and just sits there playing music for Dean for a little while. Dean is a ghost and just watches Sam until one day Sam doesn’t come and Dean is so upset. He sees Sam a couple days later and Dean is confused because Sam can see him now.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Life Makes Ghosts of Us All

**Author's Note:**

> (=^.^=)

It was warm. The summer sun was nearly at its highest point but the heat radiating off it was tempered by a smooth breeze rippling through the grass. The apple tree cast a large ring of shade, its blossoms sweet smelling and beautiful. They would produce nice apples by the time fall rolled around. Birds twittered around the flowers fighting honey bees for space. Blue skies above with a few fluffy white cotton clouds making shapes in the air.

The man was laying on his back. Soft grass pillowed a muscular frame. His hands tangled with the hair on the back of his head where they provided a barrier between his head and the ground. His eyes stared at the clouds deeply. He found a dog without a tail. A dragon’s leg. That one there could be a birthday cake. He pointed each one out verbally, laughing at the sillier shapes. His laughter was quiet, deep, hazel eyes sparkling.

Just underneath is cloud sightings, one could clearly hear the croon of an old rock song. Bon Jovi was playing right now and the man’s foot tapped absently to the beat. 

His voice quieted for a moment so that it was only the music filling the empty air. When he spoke again, his voice was soft, “I met a girl today Dean. She kind of reminds of Jess. Sweet but tough and stubborn. She’s lawyer,” Sam snorted. “Hard to believe. She wanted to go on a date but I told her maybe next time. I just don’t think I’m ready.”

Next to where Sam was laying on his back, to his right another man sat. His legs were crossed, facing the younger male. His green eyes reflected the sunlight to the point they matched the grass. He wore a black t-shirt and jeans, a worn jacket hugged his shoulders on top of the t-shirt. Work boots and an amulet on a black cord around his neck. An amulet that apparently his brother had kept after Dean had tossed it out years ago. Had kept it at the bottom of his bag whenever they moved. It had been placed in a drawer in Sam’s bedroom when they had found the bunker. Dean hadn’t even known.

Dean opened his mouth to speak but Sam beat him to it, “I know what you’re going to say. ‘Man up Sammy and take her out, you ain’t gettin any younger.’ I just don’t know Dean, when does it ever end well for me? What if she finds out about what I did, what I was? How could I tell her?” Dean crossed his arms and Sam chuckled at the sky. “You probably think I should be straight with her and tell her about my past. You know at one point you were all for not telling them but that’s when we love ‘em and leave ‘em right? If we stay any longer than that, we have to tell them the truth.”

Both men were silent. A lady bug landed on Sam’s nose before flying away in the next second. He sneezed and sat up, rubbing his nose. Bon Jovi was gone and now 3 Doors Down played “When I’m gone.” Sam stared at the battery operated speaker that was hooked into his iPod. He swallowed and looked down at his hands, blinking rapidly.

“Aw come on Sam, don’t make that face.” Dean said. His words were whispered into the wind. 

Sam sniffled and rubbed his own before smiling, “Probably telling me not to be a crybaby huh Dean?” Sam looked behind him. A few inches from where his head was, just barely under the shadow of the apple tree was a large standing stone. Sam smiled again and stood, stretching his long limbs with a few cracks and pops. He grabbed the speaker and turned it off, fitting it and the iPod into his pocket right next to the Impala’s car keys.

He patted the gravestone with his hand softly, “I’ll be back soon. Bring some better music too. Later jerk.”

“Bye bitch.” But Sam was already walking away. Deans words fell on deaf ears. He looked at the grave marker. He sighed and lay back, in a position mirroring the one his brother had held. The marker’s simple words were imprinted on his eyes:

//Dean Winchester//  
//Hunter - Savior - Brother//

XXX

Sam spread the blanket out nervously. His hands trembled has he set down the picnic basket and took a deep breath. Hazel eyes were filled with anxiety and Dean felt like smacking him.

“Relax dude, she loves you. She isn’t going to run away from a picnic even after you tell her you were a hunter.” But Sam, like all the times before, didn’t hear him.  
Dean felt slightly annoyed at this. His brother could neither see nor hear him but he still found himself snarking at his little brother and fully expecting a bitch face in return.

“Sam!” A feminine voice called across the clearing and both Winchesters looked up.

“Here we go,” Sam whispered. “Dean I hope you’re ready to meet her.”

Dean’s nod of determination went unseen. Meet the girl his brother hadn’t shut up about every time he came to Dean’s grave with his iPod of rock music? Meet the woman he was ready to share his past with? He was more than ready.

XXX

“I wish you could have been there Dean. Every thing went perfectly. I could hardly believe it. She was so beautiful and amazing and I couldn’t stop smiling. You probably think I’m a dork but it was one of the best days of my life.” Sam babbled, waving his hands around animatedly. He sat facing Dean’s headstone, a few feet of space between them.

Dean just grinned. He sat perfectly balanced on top of the marker with his legs crossed. He loved watching Sam talk with so much love and happiness in his eyes. The brunette waved his hand so hard talking about the song they danced too that he almost toppled over. Dean full out laughed at that while Sam righted himself. The younger sibling kept right on talking though. Every flick of his hand, the new gold ring on his left hand caught and reflected the sun perfectly. 

XXX

“Come on, it’s just over here.”

That was Sam’s voice, right on time. Dean grinned. He was up in the apple tree on his favorite branch, watching a couple of birds fight over an over ripe apple. The older Winchester looked down and frowned. Sam had someone with him. It wasn’t the missus. She sometimes came when Sam came to play music for Dean but more often than not it was a time for just the brothers to share. Sam had never brought anyone else with him.

The smell of autumn leaves and fallen apples was strong. Dean’s hair didn’t move when a small wind brushed through the clearing and he didn’t flinch at the cold air. The man jumped down from the branch but remained by the tree. He rested his hip against it, arms crossed, concealed in shadows.

Dean watched Sam. His little brother had more lines than he remembered at the corners of his mouth. They were relaxed and gentle but there all the same along with the streaks of gray that marred the brown hair at his temples. In his arms was a mass of material and blankets. Sam held it close to him as if it was the most precious prize in the world. Dean frowned when the mass moved.

A stronger wind, this one loud with a howl, whipped through the clearing. Dean didn’t hear the small sound that came from Sam’s arms.

The brunette walked around to the front of the grave marker. Sam knelt and set his package on the ground. A scarf and the edge of a blanket fell away. Dean’s eyes widened at the little face inside. Though he couldn’t see very much of it, the skin was a light gold and there were freckles on a small button nose. A tiny tuft of golden hair stuck out like feather down from where it had escaped the hat.

“What’s that Daddy?” the small child pointed at the rock. Curiosity filled hazel eyes that perfectly matched Sam’s and the little voice lilted with a slight clip at the end of the words. Dean sunk to his knees and had to use the tree trunk as support. 

“This is where your Uncle Dean lives. He was my brother. He’s gone now.”

“Where did he go?”

Sam didn’t know how to respond but he didn’t have to. His eyes just got that distant look in them that the child, even at four years old, recognized. Daddy didn’t want to talk about it. The child looked at the stone with big eyes. Sam noticed a small shiver course through the body and he scooped the little one up.  
“Come on little squirrel, it’s getting late. Your mom is going to be worried about us.”

“Okay Daddy.”

Dean watched the pair leave. Tears were in his eyes. The child looked over Sam’s shoulder and those hazel eyes found where Dean was standing by the apple tree without hesitation. She cocked her head to the side and waved her little mitten covered hand at Dean. He gave a small wave back. 

“Way to go Sammy.”

XXX

The next time Sam brought his daughter to see Dean, it was a few months later. It was summer again and the little girl was in a light blue dress, long dark blonde hair in pig-tails. 

Sam sat on the picnic blanket and watched his daughter run around the clearing with a smile. If there were tears in his eyes, he didn’t see the point in wiping them away.

“Can’t catch me Unca De!” The girl laughed, toddling through the grass.

Dean laughed and gave a playful growl, “I’ll get you and I’ll tickle you when I do.” She shrieked with laughter and ran as fast as her little legs would take her.

Sam wasn’t surprised that she could see Dean. It made him slightly forlorn that he could not likewise see his brother but he was content that his daughter could play with her uncle. Sam coughed into his hand suddenly and struggled to breathe for a moment. 

His daughter ran over with a worried look, “You okay Daddy?”

“I’m fine squirrel, go play with your uncle. We have to leave soon though okay.” 

She nodded and ran over to the apple tree to play hide and seek. Before he followed her, Dean looked at Sam with slight worry. The younger Winchester was grimacing and sipping at some water. But his niece called and Dean loped off. Sam said he was fine. 

XXX

It had been weeks. Dean was starting to get worried. Sam came every week if he could manage it. He’d always bring his music and a lot of the time his daughter as well but he hadn’t been back in over a month since the last time.

What if Sam had moved on? Dean would have told him ages ago to do if he could have even though on the inside it would have ripped the man apart. Dean sat in his apple tree and fiddled with the amulet. His face hadn’t aged a day of course so worry or frown lines weren’t an actual concern. 

Dean didn’t know what he would do if Sam stopped coming. Would he finally have to force himself to move on? 

Before he could let the grief consume him there was a sound that had him whipping his head up. Sam was walking across the clearing, body framed in bright sunlight. Dean had to squint into the light. His brother was blurry and he couldn’t make out his features but he grinned anyway. His brother hadn’t moved on. Bastard, he thought with a fond chuckle. He jumped from the apple tree and walked to stand by his gravestone. 

Sam got close enough that Dean could see his eyes. The hazel orbs weren’t looking at the headstone like they normally did though and Sam’s hand wasn’t moving to take out his iPod. Dean frowned but disregarded it.

“Hey big brother.” Sam smiled.

“About time you got here bitch. Been waiting for my Metallica fix.” Dean quipped.

“I’m sorry, I was a little busy. I couldn’t get here any sooner.”

Dean just shook his head. It was eerie how Sam was always able to guess what Dean would say if he could.  
Dean sighed, “Would you hurry up and get my music. And where is my little squirrel at?”

“She’s on her way with her mother.”

Dean froze and looked at Sam. That sounded a little too direct. It was then that Dean noticed that Sam wasn’t looking and talking at Dean’s grave like he normally did. He was staring directly at Dean. He could see him and hear him. Sam was responding to what Dean said.

“Long time no see jerk.”

“Sam?”

Before the other could answer, there was the sound of a car pooling up to the edge of the meadow near the road. Dean could just see the distinctive outline of a black hearse. Sam’s wife, holding their daughter, climbed out of car that was just behind the hearse. Both were in black. 

Dean looked at Sam who gave a sad smile.

 

 

They watched the service from the apple tree. Dean sat on a low hanging branch while Sam stood. It was moving, short and only had Sam’s closest friends and family. A small handful of people came. Sam introduced each one to Dean with a smile. Work friend. Brother in law. Bowling buddy.

While the funeral ended and everyone offered the widow condolences, Dean asked him, “How did it happen?”

Sam was silent for a moment and then, “Cancer. Stage four. It was quick, didn’t feel a thing. Died in my bed with my daughter lying next to me and my wife holding my hand. It was everything I wanted Dean. Quiet. Easy. I just slipped away with their goodbyes in my ears.”

It was everything Dean had wanted for Sam too. Better than what Dean got. He rubbed his chest, rubbed at the small bullet hole that lead straight to his heart.

They were quiet again. People were leaving. The sun was starting to set and the clearing was filled with warm orange light.

“Now what?” Dean asked, hopping down to stand next to his brother.

Sam waited before responding with a small smile, “I think I have an idea De.”

Sam’s eyes were locked on his wife. She wasn’t crying anymore, face almost peaceful as she spoke with her brother. Sam’s daughter released her mother’s hand to run to the Sam’s gravestone. The freshly over turned dirt was crowned by a smooth, new grave stone. It sat side by side next to Dean’s older one. 

 

Joanna-Marie Winchester gave both head stones a little pat. She smiled at them. Mommy was sad that Daddy was gone but he wasn’t really. He was here with Uncle De  
now. Daddy said that’s where he would be but Jo couldn’t tell Mommy because it would make her sad. Daddy had said that he would only stay for a little while before leaving. He had to go to a different place but he would still watch over Jo even if she couldn’t see him. Jo didn’t quite understand but she had nodded anyway. 

Her little freckled nose scrunched up when a lady-bug landed on it and then flew away. It led her hazel gaze to where her Daddy was standing next to Uncle De. She smiled real big at them and waved. 

She called out, “I love you.” Then Mommy called. It was time to go home. She ran back over to her Mommy and took her hand. 

As they were walking away, Joanna turned around. Her Daddy and Uncle De were waving. She squinted a little. Daddy looked different. Like he did in those old pictures he showed her where he was standing next to Uncle De. Shorter hair and younger face. They were both waving at her with big grins and she smiled, waved back and turned around to leave.

The little girl didn’t notice the strange man that had appeared next to the two men. A man in a trench coat. If she had seen, she would have noticed the large wings stretching out behind him and the ring of light around him that stretched to encompass her father and Uncle. But she didn’t see.

The next time she would come here, she would run up to the grave stones. On her dad’s she would find a set of keys and on her Uncle’s she would find a small golden amulet on a black cord. She would not find the two men, no matter how hard she looked. It would make her sad but she would understand. They had to leave. She would read the inscriptions on the stones one more time before leaving.

 

//Dean Winchester//  
//Hunter, Savior, Brother//

 

//Sam Winchester//  
//Hunter and Brother//  
//Husband and Father//


End file.
